DC Studios Announces First Joker Anime ‘Laugh Riot’

DC Studios and Japan‑based Sola Entertainment revealed the first original DC anime, Joker: Laugh Riot, at the Annecy International Animation Festival on 25 June 2026. The series, directed by veteran animator Yasuhiro Aoki (known for Steamboy and FLCL Alternative) and executive‑produced for DC by Jim Krieg, reimagines the Joker as the protagonist who launches a ruthless hunt for Batman’s killer after the Dark Knight is murdered. The premise inverts the traditional hero‑villain dynamic, portraying the Clown Prince of Crime in a dark, psychological quest across Gotham’s underworld.

Warner Bros. Animation president Sam Register confirmed the project as the studio’s inaugural anime, produced fully in Japan with global distribution planned, though streaming platforms and release dates remain unspecified. A simultaneous manga titled Machibura JOKER, published by Kodansha, will accompany the series, highlighting DC’s coordinated push into the Japanese market.